Vaughan was wrong over resting Cook

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has admitted he was wrong to suggest Alastair Cook should be replaced as the leader of the national side.

Vaughan criticised Cook in the wake of the defeat to India at Lord’s in the second Test. Vaughan, who led England to Ashes glory in 2005, believed Cook should have been stood down and given a six-month break.

But with England now 2-1 up in the series, Vaughan has retracted his comments.

“No question, I was wrong,” said Vaughan. “Two and a half weeks ago, I said a break would’ve done him good. But the Cricket Board stood by him, he was strong and said: ‘I’m the man to carry this young team forward.’”

Cook had knocks of 95 and 70 not out in Southampton. However, he was given a major let-off in his first innings when he was put down on 15 by Ravindra Jadeja, a reprieve that Vaughan thinks altered the momentum in the five-Test series.

Vaughan said: “I think that one catch is the real twist of the whole series.

“If Jadeja had caught Cook on 15, I really felt at that time, it would’ve been a disaster for the side.”